Faults:

Three years after the car was manufactured {in Mexico) and a month after I bought it from the dealer I smelled gas inside- the gas tank was leaking and needed to be replaced.

I have replaced the directional signal 7 times 3 times by the dealer none under warranty. They presently don't work. I get it fixed and it shorts out 3 days later. I'm just used to using my hand signals now!!

The alternator has been replaced three times in the past three years. The car only has 55,000, it's a 1997.

I hate this car and wish I had never bought it. It is not reliable and the company does not care if you are not a satisfied customer. Don't waste your money it is way over priced for what you get.

Faults:

I bought the car from Carmax and had a slight problem with leakage under the dashboard. It turned out there was a blockage somewhere, which Carmax did repair after two attempts.

I have loved this car since I had it. It has proven to be reliable and low maintenance for me. In February a teen-ager pulled out in front of me causing over 8K in damage (it took 2 months to have the car repaired). During the accident, both airbags deployed. The airbag light was coming on randomly, but after 3 computers and multiple checks I think the issue is resolved.

I LOVE my car so much that I am trying to find a 2002 model and then I will sell my '97. I am just searching to make sure the 2002's are just as reliable and fun.

Faults:

Nothing.

General Comments:

This car was an excellent car! If you make sure you got a VW that was taken care of and you continue to take care of it, it will most likely have no problems. This is a very fun car, very comfortable, and very reliable.

Faults:

My convertible top needed to be replaced due to splitting at the seams.

My passenger side door wouldn't unlock with a key, had to replace both locks.(the lock on the glovebox, console, or truck was not changed... if you want to unlock those you have to use the old key)

My car seemed like it was about to stall when stopping, the dealership flushed the transmission, but still does it.

My ABS light came on and would only turn off after the airbag was replaced.

My car then developed worse transmission problems, stalling while accelerating and not shifting gears. I took it to VW six times to complain and each time they couldn't find anything wrong with it- still does it.

The check engine light came on for no apparent reason, had to re-adjust airbag.

Car completely stalled when air-conditioner was turned on- had to replace some mysterious air-conditioning part.

Driver side door lock snapped in two and fell off- glued it back on.

My drivers side window started crunching and I had difficulty getting the window up or down. This is in part due to a poorly designed guide for the pulley. It seems the guide is made of plastic and over time the metal pulley rubs across it and it breaks. The crunching is the actual metal pulley wedging itself in places it shouldn't be. - Working on fixing it now.

Passenger side window now has the same problem. This happened one week after the drivers side. (Note to self: the shelf life of a plastic guide in a regulator is six years)

My ABS light is back on, HOORAY, I really missed that problem.

General Comments:

I bought this car because it was "VW Certified," and at the time it had a warranty. Most of my problems fell within the warranty period, but were not properly fixed and carried over until my warranty expired.

I took my car to VW several times for transmission problems, insisting they replace the transmission before it completely goes out, but they never did. The problem is just getting worse.

The premium sound ROCKS and I've never had an audio problem.

It's inevitable that you need a new regulator for your windows, eventually. Unless you choose to never roll your windows down, decreasing the wear on the plastic guide.

My car was made in Mexico.